c
T
N
0
FEATURES
HAVING THE RIGHT STUFF T IS SAID that all football players play in fear; not fear of the pain of injury, but fear that an injury will prevent them from playing football. Being sidelined is the threat; the pain can be endured. They'll walk it off. They'll shake it off. They'll play hurt, whatever it ta~es. But athletes are supposed to be tough. They're the ones who scale Mount Everest simply because it's there. They're chosen to defend the pride of "State U." We witness their tireless training to become the fastest, strongest, highest scoring, or highest paid ever in their' events. Yet you don 't have to be an athlete to be tough. And you needn't be in sports to confront tough situations. Each of us faces challenges that require us to grit our teeth and get on with life. We have difficult decisions to make and tough actions to take. Sometimes we wonder if we
I
can keep going when the pressure mounts. Life isn't easy, and no one promised it would be, but we would all like to know if we have what it takes to make it through. Just what does it take? Superior physical strength? A cold and ruthless attitude? The drive to profit at any price? You might think so, based on role models presented through the media. But I think God offers a different concept of toughness that is not based on physical prowess or self-seeking desires. God's toughness is available to strengthen each of us to withstand the difficulties of modem society. And it is empowered by His limitless resources, so we can have confidence in every situation, no matter how challenging. The athletes in this issue demonstrate individual brands of toughness in their careers and in their lives outside of sport. Defensive end Reggie White exhibits a meet-you -at-the-quarterback attitude that helps him lead the NFL in sacks. Kyle Rote Jr. talks with power forward A. C. Green about pulling down rebounds in the NBNs land of the giants. Free skating Ryan Walter crashes the boards with the best of them in the NHL. And in a special investigation, Karen Drollinger probes the issue of femininity and toughness in women's athletics. Coaches, generals, and politicians have told us for
years that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Bumper stickers now inform us they go shopping instead. You may be surprised at the perspectives these athletes offer, but I think you'll benefit from their insights as we take a "second look" at toughness.
--Dave Burnham Dave Burnham is chairman Emeritus of the International Sports Coalition, an association of sports ministries from around the world. He also appears regularly as a teacher on the television program Day of Discovery.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: COVER, MIKE POWELUALLSPORT; p. 2 (upper left), Michael Forrest; p. 2 (upper right). p. 5 (inset), Allen Steele/AIIsport; p. 2 (lower right), p. 10, Robert Beck/AIIsport; p. 3 (lett center and top), p. 14, p. 19, p. 24, Tony Duffy/AIIsport; p. 3 (right center), pp. 20路22, Robb Debenport; pp. 4路7, AI Tielemans; p. 9, Bob Fisher; p. 12, David Cannon/AIIsport ; p. 13 (top and center), Bob Martin/AIIsport; p. 13 (bottom), pp. 16-17, p. 18 (top), Mike Poweii/AIIsport; p. 15 (top left and right), J. Rettaliata/AIIsport; p. 15 (bottom left), John Biever/ AIIsport; p. 15 (bottom right), W ide World Photos; p. 18 (bottom), Tim DeFrisco/AIIsport.
4 THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS Reggie White brooks no quarterback By John Carvalho
8
SKATING THE ANE UNE Ryan Walter is fighting less and loving it more By Dave Branon
~
. ~ !: CJJ lSCOVt12'\110US/ PU
B
LI
S
H
ERS
E
T
N
s
DEPARTMENTS
16 THE POWER FORWARD IS ON
FOR ATHLETES Jon Kolb on toughing it out
The direct current of A . C. Green With Kyle Rote Jr
12
20
LADIES OF THE EIGHTIES
DISCOVERING TRUE
Tough and tender go hand in hand By Karen Rudolph Drollinger
TO~SHNESS Pumping up for manhood By Dave Burnham
15 THE QUIZ BIZ Some toughies from the world of sports By Rick York
18 TRAINING TIPS Rebounding against the big guys with A. C . Green
Volume 3, Numb er 4 SECOND LOOK MA GAZINE A DI SCOVERY HOUSE PUBLICATION PUBLISHER Martin A. De Haan II; EXECUTIVE EDITOR Dave Burnham; CONSULTING EDITO R Ralph Drollinger; M AN AGIN G EDITOR Rick Wallman; A RT DIRECTOR Sieve Gier; PRODU CTION Craig Grind e; MARKETING DIRECTO R Craig Finkel; PRODUCTION MANAGER Tom Felten ; COVER PHOTO Mike Poweii/A IIsport
SECOND LOOK is published six times a year by Discovery House Publishers. Discovery House Publishers is affiliated with Radio Bible Class. a nondenominational Christian organization whose purpose is to lead p eople o f all nations to faith and maturity in Jesus C hrist by teaching t he Word o f God . Printed in USA . Copyright ~ 1989 by Dis • ve ry House Publishers, Grand Rap ids. Michigan. Bible quotations, unless otherwise noted , are from t he N ~w King James Ve.rsio n e 1979 , 1980, 1982, Thomas Ne lson, Inc., Publishers. SECOND L OO K is produced by New Focus, Inc., Vanir Tower, Second Floor, San Bernardino, C A 924 01. Subscriptions a re available for $1 5/year by writing lo SECOND L OOK subscriplions. Discovery House, Box 3566. Grand Rapids, Ml49501-3566, or by calling toll free 1-8 00-283 -8333.
For Subscription Services•, CALL TOLL FREE:
1·800·283·8333
"New subscriptions, change of
address. or other corrections
\
4
SECOND
LOOK
TOUGHNESS • FEATURE
THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS
All but ignored by the media, Reggie White quietly led the NFL in quarterback sacks for two consecutive seasons
EGGIE WHITE of the Philadelphia Eagles is a man of substance in a world of style. He's acknowledged as perhaps the best defensive player in pro football, but you won't hear or read much abo.ut him. Unfortunately in sports today, the media aren' t looking for steak; they' re looking for sizzle.
BY JOHN CARVALHO
SEC OND
LOOK
5
~- -----------------
Show them a great playe r, and they'll wonder o ut loud if he shouldn' t be paid more, and (the routine continues) if an unnamed source didn't say the player was planning on walking out unless the team came up with a fatte r l'Jntract. Show them a devoted family man, and they'll cancel the interview, searching instead for a superstar with a mistress. Show the m a dedicated C hristian, and they' ll hunt for a hi nt of scandal. Show the m a disciplined, hard-worki ng athlete, a nd they' ll fo llow the Pied Pipers performing flashy celebration rituals. White has been showing the m for years. If solid, consistent play on the field and integrity off the field are considered boring, then White will never be the life of the party. Instead, he' ll be: • " the best defensive lineman I've ever had," according to Eag les head coach Buddy Ryan, which puts White above previous Ryan c harges A la n Page, Carl Elle r, Ri chard De nt, and Dan Hampton; • "one sports cele brity th at deserves to be looked up to,"l accord ing to the Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine; • a role model, by his own admission, "whether I want to be or not. I know I'm having an influence"; • and to complete the package, a fun guy who can make audiences laugh with his impressions of Elvis Presley, C lint Eastwood, Muhammad Ali, and Rodney Dangerfield. In today's liberated soc iety, phrases li ke "a 6
SECON D
LOOK
Reggie (92) averages better than a sack a game by keeping a keen eye on the quarterback
'If you're set on being mediocre, ················································
you'll reach your goal. ·I'm commined to excellence.'
real man," "a man's man," and " his own man" may seem out of vogue. In Whi te's case, they' re accura te. On the field, the 6-foot-5, 285-pound Wh ite has established himself at the top- not only in his head coach 's opinion, but around the league as wel l. His peers named him as a Pro Bowl starte r fo r three seasons in a row ( 1986 -88) . The Associated Press named him NFL defe nsive playe r of the year in 19 87. New England Patriots offensive lineman Ron Wooten has not forgotten playing against White. "I remember he was the strongest player on the field," Wooten says. " He can dictate the tempo of a game. When you can do that from the defensive line, that's saying a lot." White has assumed his spot a t the pi nn ac le without h yp ing himself. He does n ' t do sack dances or make it a point to plant opposing quarterbacks headfi rst in the turf. His philosophy is sim ple: " I want to be the best," he says. " If you' re set on being mediocre, you' ll reach your goal. I'm committed to excellence." During his play ing days at the Un iversity of Tennessee, White had a more laid-back attitude. "When I was getting ready to work out, I would ask the other guys if they wanted to join me. If they d idn 't, then I wouldn ' t either," he recalls. Then, in his junior year, Wh ite suffered through an injury-plagued season: both ankles sprained, a pinched ne rve in his neck, and a chipped bone in his right elbow that shot pain through his entire
arm any time he applied pressure with his right hand. Injuries notwithstanding, the press criticized White's less-than-stellar performance. That off-season, he changed hi s attitude. " I decided I was going to make those guys eat every word they said about me," he says. "I didn ' t ask the other guys to work out with me; I just did it." As a result, he was named Southeas te rn Conference Player of the Year his senior year and was a consensus All-American. He still hasn't slowed down. Drafted and signed by the Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League (so he could stay close to his future wife, Sara, then a student at East Tennessee State University), White came to the Eagles in the 1984 USFL supplemental draft. In fi ve seasons at Philadelphia, White has totaled 70 career sacks, averaging more than one per game. He led the NFL in sacks two seasons in a row ( 1987 and 1988). White has even realized the defensive lineman's dream by scoring a touchdown in Philadelphia's 1987 season opener. He caused Washington quarterback Doug Williams to fumble, then recovered the ball and ran 70 yards. "There wasn't anybody in the world who was going to catch me,"2 recalls White. He has maintained his effectiveness despite being played at several positions in the Eagles' defensive line. "He's like Howie Long of the Raiders," Ryan says. "They move him around; we move Reggie around. That way he can scare a whole lot of people instead of just one." Such a commitment to excellence and intensity results in a good relationship between White and Ryan. Neither has much patience for team members who lack discipline. The Philadelphia press has labe led Ryan an unmerc iful taskmas te r; White says, "He wants things done his way, and he takes a lot of criticism for it. But Buddy Ryan is a good man." Ryan has returned the praise-not only in the aforementioned " best-eve r" des ignati on, but through a comment that White treasures even more. "Buddy has told me that Christians are some of the best, most dedicated athletes he's ever seen. That was one of the best compliments I've ever received." White applies th e s ame di scipline to hi s Christian faith- and the same ambition. "I want to be great in my faith," he says. "Just like Jesus said about John the Baptist [in Matthew II: 11 , " ... among those born of women there has not risen one greater"] that's how I want to be." In fact, he describes his masculinity in spiritual terms: "To me, a real man is a man who can serve Christ without being ashamed. God created man in His own image and wants man to be the image of C hri st. So, becoming mo re and more like Christ is becoming a real man." While he doesn' t see his football talent as a part of that Bible-based masculinity, he doesn't back down from it either. "I don 't go out to hurt people, but I play hard ," he says. "I have a responsibility to my coaches and teammates. If
AL TIELEMANS
'We move Reggie
................................................
around. That way he can scare awhole lot of people instead of just one.' -Head coach Buddy Ryan
you come around to my side of the field , I ' m goi ng to hit you." Much has been made o f White 's spiritual dedication. At the University of Tennessee he was dubbed "The Minister of Defense." Most articles about him mention his ordination at the age of 17. White takes it much more seriously than that. He sees g reatness emerging from the ins ide, regardle ss of nicknames and ordinations. Recalling his teenage years, he says, "I look back, and I see that I wasn't ready to minister." One reason, as he mentions candidly now, was his attitude toward women. " When I was in high school, and even for a while in college, I thought a real man was someone who could conquer a woman. But I found out that it wasn't anything to be proud of. Instead, it resulted in a lot of hurt and pain." Now, White is a one-woman man. He stands before crowds of young people and promotes the concept of marital monogamy. If the discipline he exhibits on the playing field and in his spiritual life testifies to his integrity, then his unapologetic commitment to his wife and family seals the case. For White, the good life is Sara, his son Jeremy, and his daughter Jecolia at home in their twostory, brick-fronted Colonial in the Philadelphia suburb of Sewell, New Jersey. " I want to prove that marriage can be a beautiful thing," White says. " All sports fans see is divorce and se paration and at hl etes say ing , 'Marriage is not for me.' Sixty percent of the players currently in the NFL have gone through a div orce. For ex-playe rs , it 's e ig ht y percent. That's rid iculous." White recognizes that a good marriage requires work, and he 's willing to put in the effort. In marriage, as in every area of his life, he has decided that if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. "In marriage, I used to look for the perfect woman. But there is no perfect woman ... or perfect man," he adds quickly, laughing. "For my marriage to be successful, Sara and I need to go through those tough times together. I want to show that marriage can work." The long -term prog nosis for the marriage is good. Reggie White has learned that the good things in li fe- family, faith, and football-are worth the e ffort , and that real manhood isn't found in a can of beer or a fast convertible sports car. It's found in life as it's lived I 00-percent. And if the cynics search for the mediocre and imperfect instead, White will let them. They 'll find what they' re looking for too. •
John Carvalho, form erly managing editor of Second Look magazine, is the director of public information at Azusa Pacific University. I ¡ "One Rea l Hero," Philadelphia I nquirer Magazi ne, September I I, 1988, p. 4.
2. "The Amazing Grace of Reggie Wh ite," Philadelp hia I nquirer Magazine, September II , 1988, p. 19. SECOND
LOOK
7
T'S ANOTHER standing room only night in Detroit's Joe Louis Arena. Early in the second period two Red Win gs trap Montreal 's Ryan Walter and the hockey puck against the boards. Arms fly, bodies push, and sticks work frantically to control the coveted disk. The Red Wings' faithful leap to their feet to get a better look at th e skirmish. They can TOUGHNESS sme ll a fight co ming. The c rowd noise reaches a fever pitch. But just when the three seem ready to go after each other, the battle on the boards ends. The Canadiens ' Walter c lea rs the puck. A potentially ex plos ive s itua tion is defused. Disappointed, the fans return to their seats. It's the kind of situation Ryan Walter- and every hocke y player - faces man y times a game. Hockey, es pecia ll y in the National Hockey League, can be a violent ga me. Fistfights, s winging BY DAVE sticks, blindside crossc he cks, and we ll directed elbows a re an almost ni ghtly affair. It 's gotten so dangerous out on the ice that Lloyd 's of London has cut down on the disabi lity insurance it will allow for NHL players. The people at Lloyd's recognize the dangers of putting 12 strong, powerful skaters in an enclosed area, giving them each a stick, throwing out a si ngle tiny puck, and paying them to defend their respective goals. It's a situation where only the strong survive. Su.rvive is exactly what Ryan Walter has done. For II seasons, he has withstood the hard-checking, body-banging inte nsity of the NHL. He's been a team captain ( 1980, Washington Capitals). He's been voted the fa n's most popular player ( 1981 , Capitals). He's helped hi s team win the Stanley Cup ( 1986, Montreal Canadie ns). He has hung tou gh aga inst the Bob Proberts and the Mark Messiers of the league. But ask Ryan Walter who is really tough in this world and you get a surprising answer. He' ll tell
you about the compassion he feels for a politician who gets caught in the middle of a hot issue-one where he loses no matte r which way he votes. Or he'll mention a guy he met while visiting a maximum security prison- a man who is spending the rest of his life in the slammer for taking an ax to his wife while in a drunken rage. But that's not what makes him toug h, Ryan ex plains. What makes him tough is that he is not afraid to share • FEATURE his newfound faith with his fe ll ow co ns. " H e could be killed for what he's saying," Ryan marvels. "Yet he still talks about Jesus." That's a favorite topic of Ryan Walter's these days too. But it's difficult to find anyone to discuss it with whe n you' re the only Christian on the team in a sport that doesn 't have much room for " religion." "It's not like baseball where as many as half the team can be Christi a ns ," he observes . " Whe n we have a team chapel, I'm sometimes th e only player there." BRANON It's ironic that in the tou g h wor ld of th e NHL, Christians can be considered threatening. Ryan tells the story of Jean Pronovost, who was his teammate with Washington. When Pronovost was first traded to the Caps, the coach took Ryan aside and told him, " Wa tch Pronovost. He's a born-again Christian." What the coach meant was to watch him to make sure he doesn 't have a nega tive impact on the team. So Ryan watched him. And watched him. And he liked what he saw. He saw tha t this " born-again Christian" and his wife had something Ryan Walter knew he needed . Soon Ryan a nd hi s roommate Mike Gartner were meeting with Jean to di sc uss spiritual matters. As an aggress ive yo ung NHL star, Ryan didn't appear to need anything. He was popular with the Washington fans, he was active in community service, and he could compete wi th the best of them on the ice. Yet something was troubling him. He found himself wondering, "What would God
SKATING THE FINE LINE In the sometimes violent NHL, Ryan Walter balances aggressive play with cool restraint
8
SEC OND
LOOK
PHOTO BY BOB f iSHER
do w ith me if the team plane we nt down?" He concl uded that no matter how tough you have to be to play in the NHL, toughness wouldn ' t count when it was time to answer to God. Yet he battled the decision to do what Jean Pronovost told him had c hanged his own life. Finally, afte r observing this " dangerous" new teammate for some time, a nd after some se rio us soul sea rc hing, Rya n accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. While lying on a bed in a hotel room in Edmonton, He asked God to c hange him. O ne of the s urpr is ing improveme nts Ryan noticed was in hi s la nguage. " The Lord immediate ly took away the swearin g," he says. Little by little, God began to take away other supe rficial vestiges of the commo n conception o f toughness. Ryan Walte r learned that you didn ' t have to be a rough-tongued , hard-drinking ruffian to be tough. And he discovered that his new faith took care of the major worry in his life. Soon after trusting Christ, he and Mike were riding together in an elevator. He turned to his roomie and said, " If this thing breaks and we go down with it, I' m ready. I' ve become a Christian." The fear of dying was gone. To Ryan 's surprise, Mike replied, " I have too." One might expect to hear that the road has been easygoing since then for Ryan. Not true, he says. " Being a Christian has been the toughest part of the last 7 years." Consider hav ing to stand up to your teammates and te ll them that you won '.t be going to a player 's retire me nt party because it 's at a strip joint and " I don' t want to drag Jesus the re." Think of what it's like to be concerned abo ut your reputation as a Christian in a game where fig hting is the norm a nd tempers flare at the drop of a puck. Tha t takes toughness. Me ntal to ughness is the key, Ryan says. And that means not being intimidated in a di fficult situat ion. "Some players are physically tough on the o utside, but they don ' t have mental toughness . You can get the m off the ir game by not backing d ow n to them mentall y." O ne o f the fa vorite devices opposing players use on Ryan to try to intimidate him is sarcasm-or at least that's what they think it is. "When they get upset, players will often mutter obscenities to opponents. But for me, si nce they know I'm a Christian, they' ll say somethi ng li ke, ' Hey, Walter, why don 't you go read your Bible.'" Laughing a t the thought of this supposed s light, Ryan says in moc k ser iousness, "That really hurts." T he re a re times, thou gh , whe n it gets a lo t roughe r out on the ice th a n hav ing so meone accuse you of being a Bible reade r. Sometimes the names of Christian hockey players show up on the fight card. " Whe n tha t ha ppe ns, I can ' t bac k down. I would be le tting my teammates down . B ut I don' t have a fighting spi rit. I try to le t the Lord be in control of my actio ns." T his is all reflected in an attitude that says, "Don ' t go looking for fights; don ' t try to hurt anyone." " I reme mber one night a few seasons ago whe n 10
SECOND
LOOK
TOUGH IS AS TOUGH DOES Have you ever noticed that the great athletes make their sports look easy? That's because their effort is hidden by talent: they know exactly how and when to apply the strength and skill needed in each situation. Ryan Walter knows how to handle being checked into the boards. And if a fight comes his way that can't be avoided, he accepts it as part of the game. But he also knows he doesn't need to go looking for a fi9ht in order to excel 111 hockey. Ryan recognizes that true toughness is having the selfcontrol necessary to channel your energy in the proper direction. If you focus on fighting, you can't concentrate on getting the puck in the net. What is your idea of toughness? Someone who's strong and mean and growls a lot? Perhaps the toughest players are not those who choose to act tough but those who are able to compete, using skill, sawy, and the rules of the game.•
we were a bout to play Boston . It was the las t game of the regular season, a nd we were set to play the Bruins in the upcoming playoffs. I sat in the hote l room before th e game a nd prayed, ' Lord , may You be glorified tonight. ' Well, it was a rough game and I got involved in three fights. Every time, it was jus t a react ion, no thin g I planned to get invol ved in. In one fi ght I took dow n Terry O'Re ill y. When we hit th e ice, he said, ' I've separated my shoulder.' So I got up a nd left him alone. I didn ' t want to do any more damage. Afte r the game I fe lt te rrible. He re I had asked the Lord to help me glorify Him and I get into three fights. "On the next trip to Boston, a woman handed me a clipping from a Boston newspaper. It was an a rticle in which O 'Reilly praised me for taking it easy on him. He said that most players would ' go for the kill ' when they discover they ' ve hurt an opponent. The sportswriter went on in the article to te ll why I had reacted that way, because I'm a C hristi an." Ryan Walter had been to ugh in the cl utch, but tender when it counted. The toughness in Ryan Walter allows him to go against the grain of what is normally considered tough- in o rder to be te nde r. It means showing compassion fo r a gro up o f une mployed youths who hang around the Montreal Forum , just waiting to get a glimpse of the Canadiens. While most people walk the othe r way to avoid those " less than desirables" or worse yet make fun of them, Ryan cares about them. And it means spending part of his summe r vacation at Hockey Ministry International's Christi an Athletic Hockey Camps, instruc ting young people about wha t is important in hockey and in life. But the people Ryan Walter cares about the m os t li ve nea r Lac Sa int Lo ui s o ut s ide M on treal- hi s wife Je nnife r a nd t he ir t h ree presc hool c h ildren Be nj amin, C hri stia na, and Ryan. Living the fast-paced life of a professional athlete can put a strain on the best of families, but Ryan tries to he lp his famil y live as normal a life as possible. And he worries about such domestic decisions as the best schooling for the c hildren , how to spe nd e nough time with the family, and fi xing the dog run. T he Canad ie ns had e nj oyed a 5-d ay home stand, during which Ryan had promised Je nnifer he wo uld re pa ir th e line o n th e dog run . Otherwise, as he knew, she would have the added responsibility of keeping tabs on the fami ly dog while he was off p lay ing hockey. But he forgot. He didn' t think of it again until he was on his way to the airport. It's the kind of thing that bothers even the toughest man when he cares deeply for his family. Ryan Walter wants to be re me mbered as a man who has time for people-whethe r they a re his to ugh compe tito rs in the NHL, some aimless youths on the Montreal streets, the kids he works with at hockey camps, or his wife and children. T here's room for all kinds of people in the tough and tender world of Ryan Walter. •
TOUGHNESS • FOR ATHLETES
HANGING IN TH RE
True Toughness Takes Time BY JON KOLB
Jon Kolb is the conditioning and training coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he has been an assis tant coach since retiring as a player in 1982. In his 13 years as an offensive lineman f or th e Steelers, Kolb played on fo ur Super Bowl teams and earned a spot on the Stee/ers All-Time Team. In this a rticle, h e defines his view of toughness.
HILE I WAS growing up, I saw ~o:t: rt a in qu a lities in others th at I wa nted to emulate. I had a mental list of the most important ones and of the people who ex hibited
w••ll!•iiii•••••.V'J••--••••••..
It's obvious that God is more interes ted in the process of how we li ve o ur lives than He is in the records we've set or the monuments to success we leave behind. In 1988-89, th e S teelers had a lo usy season; there's no gettin g around it. The o rga ni za tion eve ntua ll y fired fo ur coaches, but it took them an ago ni zing 4 weeks to decide who to keep and who to re lease. T here was incredible pressure on all of us, and the speculation in each day 's newspaper made th e waiting eve n worse. I had never been in such a difficult situation before, but it was a valuable experience. Through thi s time, our fami ly chose "not to lose
••••••ii•••liiill..~~•-••••••1 strength hea rt," to ask God for the to deal with our sit-
these traits in their lives. My ... list included my father, and most of the rest were athletes. I see that my idea of toughThese role models of mine all ness has changed since then. had a combination o f discipline, strength, sincerity, and Today one of my favorite examples is a story in the to ughness. My idea of toughness back Bible about a woman trying to ge t her case heard in then was right out of an NFL highlight fi lm, with plenty of court. Jes us told about a the big hits and big plays we judge in a certain city "who all love to watch . There is no did not fear God nor regard question in my mind that man" (Luke 18:2). And yet those players are tough; but this judge gave in because of the woman's persistence in toughness is not the same as spectacular performance. Not co nf rontin g him . I d o n 't imagine she was very strong every play in every contest is physically, but s he kept a game-winner; they don't all coming back, demonstrating end with a crashing hit. And in our lives off th e fie ld, real toughness. every day is not a highli ght This lady also had persefilm either. verance. The story teaches As I think back on my list, that we "always ought to pray
and not lose heart" (Luke 18: 1). This tou g h lad y refu sed to be discouraged from seeking justice. Finall y the "fearless" judge settled her case. Over and over again the Bible speaks of persistence a nd perseverance . The apostle Paul said in Romans 5:3-5 to "glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulati on produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope." This tells me I should apprec iate even the toughest situations, because God will use them to pro duce perseverance, character, and hope in my life.
uati on, and to keep trusting Him no matter what the outcome. We learned that God was ab le to pro du ce tru e toughness in our lives by giving us th e abi lit y to kee p going without losing hope. There is no question that it takes courage to persevere in life, to not lose heart, to get up once mo re afte r we've been kno cked down . A nd God is the so u rce of true cou rage. He can g ive us the strength to keep going, to be trul y tough, both on the field and in daily life. Only when we choose to follow Him can we rea ll y und ers tand and ex perience God's definitio n of toughness. • SECON D
LOOK
II
I I
TOUGHNESS • FEATURE
of the World-class female athletes are modeling a new style of toughness and femininity
IKE T HEIR PIONEERING FOREMOTHERS who crossed the Great Plains and planted homes, fanns, schools, and churches, today 's adventurous athletic women are breaking ground in the fie ld of respect. Indications are th at they're di gging in the ri ght direction. Flo-Jo, Jack ie Joyne r-Kersee, Janet Evans, and Steffi Graf have each grabbed a bit of the media spotlight. Feminine yet inte nsely com petitive, they've earned individual acclaim. For these Ladies of. the ' 80s, the sports world is a salad bowl of opportunity spiced with c halle nge. ¡ But for female athle tes overall, obstacles abound. The biggest boulder to be moved is reshaping the view of women athletes as Amazons missing their feminine amenities. In this scenario, the years through the 1960s were the cavewoman era of women 's sports. Then in 1972, the floodgate of female participation in ath letics was opened through a government entitle ment program known as Title IX. Opportunities in team sports began to abound, and individual acti vities like running, aerobics, and weightlifting also became popular. Fonda and fitness were in. Flab was out.
BY KAREN RUDOLPH DROLLINGER 12
SECOND
L OOK
BOB MARTIN/AL.LSPOAT
But questions about femininity dogged the most determined female athletes: Can a woman be athletic and tough, yet remain feminine? And are muscles meant only for men? Ask Leon Barmore , head women 's basketball coach at Louisiana Tech Uni versity. His Lady Techsters from Ruston, Louisiana, have appeared in the Final Four eight times in the past I 0 years, winning three national championships, including the 1988 title. " Years ago, being a female athlete suggested that there was probably something wrong with you. The thought was that every woman coach out there was a lesbian," Leon says. " Women fought that image for many years, and we've fought that image here. Our whole philosophy is related to ' ladies first and basketball second. ' The fans here in Ruston are not coming out to watch a bunch of tomboys." And come out to watch they have. The turnout at home games has averaged as high as 5,300 a game, and Tech has consistently ranked among the NCAA leaders in attendance. Barmore attributes this fan support in part to the level of his team 's play. "A coach once said the difference between most teams and Louisiana Tech is our intensity level. We take a lot of pride in saying that we're not going to take a back seat to anybody in the area of intensity. But when we leave the arena or gym, we feel very strong ly about the players conducting themselves like ladies." Debbie Brown, former Arizona State volleyball coach and Olympic assistant, is currently assistant coach for the women's national team. She too prefers to think about toughness in terms of intensity and determination, as well as emotional control under difficult circumstances. And she adds that femininity can enhance a team's confidence. "I think you can be competitive and very feminine," says the 1980 Olympian now married to sportswriter Dennis Brown. "I think it's great to be a female athlete, to be competitive and to have a lot of intensity. But a gray area might be in showing frustration if you're not playing well. It may be more acceptable for a male to get angry and swear and show frustration, but I don 't like that in male or female athletes." When Debbie began coaching at ASU 6 years ago, she instituted a policy that her team would wear dresses on each road trip. At first, the young women were hesitant. "When I came, there were some girl s on the tl!am who didn' t own a dress. They had to go out and buy one. But as I coached there longer and recruited and set policies, the players accepted it and loved it because they felt so good about themselves. "It was worth it from the feedback we got from people at school, in airports, and hotel lobbies, and that in itself was a positive reinforcement." Debbie points out that coaches have a great deal of influence on their young charges. "When I was an athlete, I admired my coaches so much. That's where the front line is. They have the opportunity to instill things in their players. "Take my policy of requiring dresses, fo r example. If something like that is never stated or held up to be important, the players can't see the benefits. I think most of the coaches in my conference just told the girls to wear something nice. We 'd see those teams in jeans or sweatshi rts, and my girls would say, (Opposite) Jackie Joyner-Kersee surprised few in Seoul by breaking her own world record in the heptathlon. (At left, top to bottom) Steffi Graf continues to dominate the women's professional tennis tour. Florence Griffith Joyner stood apart with grace and speed at the '88 Games. High school senior Janet Evans won three Olympic gold medals and was awarded the world's heart for her girlish charm. SECOND
LOOK
13
Through media exposure, positive role
................................................
models are providing increasing benefits.
Flo-Jo's four Olympic medals sparkle slightly less than her winning smile TONY OUFFY/ALLSPORT
' Look at that. I can't imagine looking like that on a plane! ' Not th at they were knocking the o ther team, but they were really feelin g good about what they were doing. When you feel good about yourself, you carry that wherever you go, and I think that 's going to be exuded on the court as we ll ." But early attempts to shape off-court behav ior weren't always successful. In 1979, the California Dreams women's professional basketball team instituted mandatory attendance at a team-sponsored twice-weekly session with the prestigious John Robert Powers modeling school. The goal was to polish the players' off-court manners and speaking skills, and to encourage professional appearance. However, most players resented the intrusion into their personal time more than they appreciated th e potenti al benefits of improvements outside the game. But a decade later, the winds of change are blowing. The opportunity for public acceptance now d emand s a mo re profess ional image as we ll as com petitive athleti c skills. Yet image a lo ne does no t w in games. Proper toug hness and intensity are still necessary for any athlete who desires to fight the good fight and finish the course. Televis ion and newspaper images of toughness abound : Kirk Gibson in a headfirst slide. Ainge. Bird. Connors. Icons of intensity that make refereeing a Bobby Knig ht basketball game seem like a day at the beach. Everybody recogni zes those athletes. But today, in a refreshing twist, toughness can also be an aspect of femininity- the athletic Madame Butterfly emerging from competitive grit c loaked in softne ss and femininity. Olympic 14
SECOND
LOOK
sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner, for example, has become a role model for the feminine female athlete. She demonstrates the fact that intensity in competition need not exclude femininity fro m the athlete's life . Ann Meyers describes this change in women 's athletics. The former 1976 Olympian and fourtime basketball All-American says that women athletes are becoming more aware of their femininity and seeking to project that image. Ann, now married to baseball Hall of Farner Don Drysdale and the mother of toddler Don Jr., is a television commentator and does promotions for diet frozen foods. "It's a whole change of attitude. We've become very sports-minded," she says. "Before, we had ' women 's rules' li ke three dribbl es, wearing skirts, and playing half-court. Women weren't supposed to sweat. Now you see fathers involved, practicing with and training their daughters." Ann, who preferred dressing in sweats and unlaced hi gh tops while a UCLA co-ed, has undergone her ow n metamorphosis. She was described in a recent Kansas City Star article as a "southern Californian ... dressed in pastels with pearls and diamonds and impeccably styled curly blond hair." 1 "There 's been an image problem with women athletes," she says. "Sports are more conducive to short hair, and that used to reflect a certain image. Before, guys were supposed to be taller than the girls, and if you were 5-foot-1 0 or over, you were really tall. The girls would slump over and not have good posture to make up for the height difference, and there were a lot of really tall girls in sports. Now the image in sports is that it's great to be tall, even 6-foot-5 or more. Sports has given an air of confidence to those women." The female athlete is gaining confidence as improved competitive skills intertwine with a growing feminine image. Through media exposure, positive role models are providing increasing benefits. ¡"The evolution of women 's athletics is still young," says Debbie Brown. "The more female athletes are in the media, the more there are role models to emulate, and the easier it is to break out of that [negative] mold. The more those role models are developed, the more the younger girls want to emulate them rather than the best male basketball player or baseball player. If the role model isn't there, though, it makes it tough." Judging by th ese athletes and coaches, the seeds are being sown. Ask Flo-Jo. Or Jackie. Or Debbie Brown. •
Karen Rudolph Drollinger, a graduate in journalism from the University of Missouri, is a former women's pro basketball player, a speaker at camps and clinics, and a frequent contributor to Second Look magazine. I "Scoring Big Points for Good Eating," Kansas City Star, January 16, t989, p. 1-C.
15.
1.
Whic h player had the m os t RB I fr o m 1970 to 1979? A. Don Baylor B. Johnny Bench C. Reggie Jackson D. George Foster
2.
Which pitcher won the most games betwee n 197 0 and 1979? A. Jim Palmer B. Steve Carlton C. Ron Guidry D. Jim Hunter
BY RICK YORK Ho w ma ny seasons did Go rdi e Howe play in the NHL? A.20 B. 22 C.24 D.26
16.
'•
How m a n y goals did Go rdi e Howe score in h is career? A.70 1 B.75 1 C.801 D.851
17.
Whic h player had the mos t RBI fro m 1960 to 1969? A. Willie Mays B. Hank Aaron C. Orlando Cepeda D. Frank Howard
3.
How ma ny times did the Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley C up from 1969-70 through 1979-80? A.4 B.5 C. 6 D. 7
4.
Who played a record 17 consec utiv e yea rs in the Stanley Cup playoffs? A. Gordie Howe B. Brad Park C. Bobby Orr D. Bobby Hull
5.
Wha t run ning back did Vince Lombardi order a special helmet for, with a receiver and speaker placed inside to help compe nsate fo r the player's right ear being nearly deaf?
6.
How many times did Jim Brown rush for 1,000 yards in a season during his 9-year career in the NFL? A. 6 B. 7 C.8 D.9
7. Gale Sayers was the third player taken in the NFL draft follo w ing the 1964 season. Ken Willard was the second. Who did the New Yo rk G ia nts ta ke w ith th e first selection that year? A. Homer Jones B. Tucker Fredrickson C. Frank Gifford D. Floyd Little
18.
Which pitcher had the mos t w ins fro m 1960 to 1969? A. Whitey Ford B. Bob Gibson C. Juan Marichal D. Don Drysdale
8. Which one of these players was not a first round choice of the Seattle Supersonics? A. Tom Chambers B. Jon Sundvold C. Jack Sikma D. Bill Hanzlik
19.
Whi c h player hit the mos t hom e run s be t wee n 1960 and 1969? A. Willie Mays B. Harmon Killebrew C. Hank Aaron D. Fra nk Howard
9.
Who holds the record for most points (53) in a playoff game by a rookie? A. Wilt Chamberlain B. Jerry West C. Rick Barry D. Elgin Baylor
20. Which of these players has had the hi g hest s ing le season batting average? A. Rod Carew B. Wade Boggs C. George Brett D. Roberto C lemente
10.
Who led the NBA in scoring for a sing le season more times, Bob McAdoo or George Gervin?
11.
During the 197 1-72 season the Los Angeles Lakers set an NBA record fo r most consecutive games won. How many games did the Lakers win in a row? A. 29 B. 3 1 c. 33 D. 35
12.
Wilt C hamberlain set an NBA p layoff reco rd for rebounds in a single game in 1967. How many rebounds did Wilt have? A. 39 B.40 C.4 1 D.45
JOHN BIEVERIALLSPOAT
WIDE WORLD PHOTOS
(Clockwise from top left) Palmer, Carlton, Hunter, and Guidry: Who won the most games In the '70s?
13.
Byron Scott and Terry Cummings were both selected in the fi rst round. Which team drafted these two NBA stars?
14.
Whic h player had the highest batting average from 1970 to 1979? A. Rod Carew B. George Brett C. Wade Boggs D. Pete Rose
Answers:
1. D. 26; 2. c. 80 I; 3. C. 6; 4. B. Brad Park; 5. Larry Brown, who played during Lombard i's onl y seaso n wi th th e Wa shin g ton Redskins in 1969; 6. B. 7; 7. B. Tucker Fredrickson; 8. A. Tom Chambe rs; 9. A. Wilt C ha mb e rl a in; 10. Geo rge Gervin; 11. C. 33; 12. C. 4 1; 13. San Diego C li ppers; 14. A. Rod Carew; 15. B. Johnny Benc h; 16. A. Jim Palme r; 17. B. Hank Aaron; 18. C. Ju a n Maric h a l; 19. B . Hannon K ill e brew; 20. C. George Brett. SECOND
LOOK
IS
TOUGHNESS • COVER STORY /INTERVIEW
r
"
I
THE POWER FORWARD
i
I !
I II I
IS ON
Coach Pat Riley's "Ace" in the hole is plugged into the Los Angeles Lakers' rebounding game N ONLY HIS FOURTH NBA season, A. C. Gree n has become th e Los Angeles Lakers' leading rebounde1: Although small for a power f orward, A. C. is an iron man in the lane. He has endured on some of the toughest twf in sports, appearing in every regular season contest but three during his first three campaigns. A. C . (whose initials stand f or the letters A and C) talks with Kyle Rote 11: about crashing the boards with the big boys. KYLE: Let's talk about the toughness of the game itself. A lot of people have believed for many years that playing basketball in the NBA is physically the toughest of any of the professional sports. A. C.: That's true in that it's really demanding on your body. And it's pretty obvious to anyone who might watch. They get to see the banging and the bumping that goes on. You're setting screens, and you get little guards trying to muscle you for position, and then you get big guys trying to muscle you for position. It's really tough in that sense. After nearly every game I go home with some little souvenir here or there that I didn't have before the game started. (Laughing) It's very seldom that I don't leave the court or the gym feeling a little sore from the physical contact.
WITH KYLE RoTE 16
SECOND
LOOK
JR.
SEC O N D
LOOK
17
KYLf: What about off the court? A. C.: Off the court there's the travel, the schedule. It takes me until a month-and-a-half into the season before my body gets used to it again. About the only thing I'm used to is that almost as soon as I get on a plane, I can go to sleep now. That's about the only normal thing for me. Mentall y it's tough also. You have to try to train your mind because over the long run it will try to wander on you. There's a lot of other things you start thinking about right in the middle of the season; you might wish you were here or there with your family or friends, or wish the vacation would start early. It takes a really strong discipline to keep your mind on your occupation. KYLf: Tell me a little bit about how you deal with
Training tip
REACHING BEYOND YOUR GRASP BEING SMALLER than mos t of hi s oppone nts is a challenge A. C . Green faces in almost every game. But size isn 't everything when it co mes to ge ttin g rebounds, according to the 6-foot-9, 224pound Gree n. Hi s success in that category for the Lakers de monstrates that a disadvantage in size can a lso be a n ad vantage in quickness. " I try to take advantage of mental and physical quickness in my battle against these bigger guys. It comes down to the basics for me as far as re bounding." •BOXING OUT. "I try to be in position to block out my man, for the offensive or the defe ns ive rebound." •PURSUIT. "I always pursue the ball, assuming that every shot is going to be missed. I don't wait until it comes off the rim to go after it." •ANTICIPATE DIRECnON. " I read the overall flight of the ball , trying to pic ture which way the ball's going to come off the rim. For example, if it's a corner shot, I think it's going to come off on the other side, heading toward the opposite corner. I might try to move my body over there or keep my man from that position." •QUICKBS. "If I'm smaller than my opponent, I can usually get to a loose ball first. On defense, I use my feet to out-quick him. I keep him out of the position he really wants to get to. Maybe he has a favorite spot to shoot from, so I try not to allow him to get there in the first place." •
18
SECON D
LOOK
'Spiritual toughness carries over into every other part of
················································
my life.'
all of this. Do you have a pre-game routine to get yourself prepared so your mind doesn't wander in the midst of a long season that can have over a hundred games for a competitive team like the Lakers? A. C.: My game schedule starts the night before the game. I'm normally in bed by 10 o 'clock. I might not fall asleep for a while, but I try to get in bed at least by that time. The day of the game the only thing I do is make sure I eat 5 to 6 hours before the game starts, and then get at least an hour or two nap in the afternoon. And I try not to do a lot of running around, doing little things that will get my mind off of the game. Those are the only special things I do for the game itself. But my normal everyday discipline I do for life itself. When I wake up, I will spend at least an hour just reading my Bible and the n praying. I don 't call it a game routine, because I normally do it every day, early in the morning before I go to practice. That's why it's so important for me to get my rest the night before, so I will not be really tired and have to fight to get out of bed. KYLf: It's refreshing to hear that your identity as a player hasn't so dominated you that you make the game the center of your universe. It sounds like your daily disciplines are even more important to you than your basketball disciplines. A. C.: Yes, that's true, that's very well put, Kyle. It's really important that a person di scipline himself for life, period, and not just for his occupation, whatever the job may be. If you try to tailormake your disciplines or your strengths, you start to limit yourself in other areas. It is important to have discipline in your job; like fo r me in basketball, I need to have strengths in certain areas, true enough. But mainly I need to develop the discipline for life, to have victory in life. That's the most important area for me, and that's why I don't put everything in and around basketball. KYLE: Do you see any pa rallels be tween the physical discipline that g ives you the toughness on the court and the discipline that develops character throughout all of life? A. C.: Well, I look at it like this: you need to be tough and very spiritually-minded in the things of God , knowing what God has promi sed you, knowing what God has planned for you, knowing that there 's a purpose for your life. Spiritual toug hness, in the sense of fig hting for those things, obtaining and ho lding on to those things, carries over into every other part of my life. KYLf: The re's no doubt that you've dealt with the wide-bodies and the super-tails, the Patrick Ewings, the Karl Malones, the Charles Barkleys, and those kind of people. What are the "widebodies" in your spiritual life that are the greatest challenge to you? A. C.: Pride would be one; pride a nd ego trying to make you think of yourself as more than you reall y are. And pride would really try to keep me from spending time with God on a daily basis. KYLE: On s u c h a hi g h - profile tea m , with
Kareem a nd Mag ic and so on, being as good a player as you a re, is it diffi c ult see ing the "superstars" get most of the endo rseme nts and o utside opportuniti es? A. C.: No, that partic ular "wide-body" is not a real battle for me. I understand how the system, so to speak, works. I don't feel bad if say, an e ndorsement goes to someone else or an opportuni ty goes to ·so meone e lse . I 've a l ways believed that God has complete control over my li fe. So I know the opportunity's going to come that He wants me to have, and no one can keep me from that. KYlf: You've talked about pride and ego as spi ritual c hallenges. Who do you find is the toughest player for you to compete against physically? A. C.: (Silence) I tell you the person I don 't like to play against is James Worthy. (Laughing) He mig ht be on my team, but I sure don 't like to guard him in practice. KYlf: Yet you play inside against some mighty big opponents, and at 6-foot-9 and 224· pounds you 're not exactly the prototype size for a power forward. As the Lakers' top rebounder, you must
'I think toughness comes from within... it's developed over a period of lime.'
take some satisfaction in being able to fight a lot of those people off and to be able to perform well. A. C.: The power forward or the big forward position is not a glamorous position because that's where most of the contact is made. So you really have to get your game down to a scientif ic approach. You have to know what you're doing out the re, and what little things are going to work at what specific times. (Laughing) Normally everyone I play against is taller than I am, they weigh more than I do, and most of the time they' re stronger than I am. In the physical sense, I don't have much going for me in comparison to most of the guys I match up against. So I really have to know how to turn that potential disadvantage around to work in my favor. KYlf: Some people talk about toughness being physical, with the sculptured body and the tough look. Other people would say it's toughness of character, more of a hidde n toug hness. What is your perception of toughness? A. C.: I don 't really feel it's a matter of outward appearance by any degree, because obv iously some of the biggest guys aren't the toughest guys. And some of the g uys who don't look so big are pretty tough. I think toughness comes from within. And I don't think you ' re born with it. It's developed over a period of time. A Jot of my inspiration about toughness has come from characters in the Bible, such as a David or Abraham, different men who have been faced with unbeatable odds, but they hung strong. Hearing those kind of words, and reading and studying those situations gives me the inspiration and the frre in my life, and keeps rekindling that fire. KYlf: What advice might you give to encourage anyone reading this article who's walking their own road in life that calls for a certain level of toughness? A. C.: I believe it all comes from the very beginning of the basics, and I think it always centers around deriving your stre ngth from Jesus. We hea r it sa id so much, but He's my complete st(ength. I don't have any insecurity because my security's placed in Him . He's my best friend; He's the pe rson that I trust I 00-pe rcent. I look at all the guys I have to play against, a nd like I say, being at a physical disadvantage most of the time, I tell myself, "I believe there's no one that's going to o ut-work me, out-hustle me, that's going to get the best of me out there on that court," because God is my strength, He's my ·source, and He's my delight. KYlf: Thank you, A. C. You're certainly a modem-day David among the Goliaths of the NBA, and your example of de riving your toughness from God makes you not only the power force that coach Pat Riley calls you on the court, but also a power force in li fe. • A former pro soccer player and three-time winner of ABC-TV's "Superstars" competition, Kyle is also a TV sports commentator and speaker from Memphis, Tennessee. His interviews with sports personalities appear in each issue of Second Look. SECOND
LOOK
19
TOUGHNESS • PERSPECTIVE
DISCOVERING TRUE TOUGHNESS How tough you are doesn't depend on who you can beat in a fight N IRON JU NGLES across the country, athletes battle gravity using the sophisticated machinery of the modern weight room. In one gym a young admirer observed, " Mike's a real man, pressing 500 pounds. What a specimen! " But is pumping iron the truest measure of a man 's stre ngth ? Popula r advertising would have us think so, judging by its portrayal of how a man should look, smell, act, and dress. To see how successful the advertisers have been, take a moment to test your responses to the following descriptions: I. What's the after-shave real athletes, especially football linemen, use following their locker room showers? 2. If you wear a cowboy hat and ride a horse, what usuall y dangles from your mouth? 3 . What brand of unde rwear do successful athletes wear? 4. If you really wanted to "fl y" in your basketball shoes, what name brand woul d you buy? Did you score four for four? TV a nd magazine advertisers would be disappointed if you didn't easily identify at least two. In my day- long ago-a popular ad showed the 97-pound weak ling having sand kicked in his face by the brawny muscle man. T he g irls all laughed and went with the "big man." But C harles Atlas and his muscle building program co uld change all that. Imagine, never to be pushed around by the big bully again . I was skinny as a yo ung teenager and I thought to myself, " Maybe this is my chance to be a real man." I sent for the program, but di scovered that it demanded d iscipline o n my part. What a letdown. I had thought the muscles would be automatic. Real manhood isn ' t a uto matic either. And it's more tha n hav ing big muscles. True strength in a ma n is character, no t h ow muc h we ig ht he can lift. C h a r acte r may be expressed as the s tre ng th to carry res po n sibilit y, o r as integrity, the stre ng th to do what is right. Courage is also a part o f charac te r. B ut courage goes beyond winning a fis t
BY DAVE BURNHAM
20
SECOND
LOOK
fight; it's the strength of a person 's c haracter displayed under stress. Yet with all the pressure to confonn to Madison Avenue's version of a real man, it's easy to miss the importance of character. Unless we feed our minds different thoughts, we risk following others' profit-driven opinions about manhood. The apostle Paul wrote to a young man who needed some manly adv ice. Paul isn't easy on Timothy, but the apostle genuinely cares what happens to him, and that's important. Paul isn't promoting an image or selling products. His only profit is to see Timothy be a real man- a man of God. The expression "man of God" might sound a little pious at first. However, the Bible uses the expression for some very interesting guys. The man who led Israel out of slavery in Egypt is called a "man of God." There isn't any backpacking equipment named for him, but Moses is still a model for a manhood that exemplifies leadership. Another Old Testament he ro was King David. As a young man, David fought lions and a giant named Goliath, and if anyone could land the contract to endorse slingshots, he would be the man. But David, strong and courageous, is best identified as a "man of God." Let's examine a portion of Paul 's letter to Timothy and see why the "man of God" is a valuable model for being a real man. Paul writes, "But you, 0 man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness" (I Timothy 6: 11 ). First, we see what a man of God is not. Paul points out three things we should avoid in verses 3 to 10. 1. Pride. The first thing to flee is found in verses 3 to 5 . "If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is accordi~g to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words ... and destitute of the truth." The key thing to flee here is PRIDE. The person Paul is describing doesn't want any authority over his life but himself; he has an over-inflated ego. Paul warns that this isn't the model for manhood and alerts Timothy to the results of this self-centered attitude. Pride is a crucial issue, and it must be dealt with. Who will you follow? Who sets the
A MAN WITHOUT GOD is like a car without an engine. It may look good, but unless pushed or towed, it can only roll on the downhill. A right relationship with God provides the character necessary to go against the gravity of our natural inclinations. But such strength doesn't begin with great accomplishments. Rightness begins with an honest assessment of what is wrong. It begins with a realization that stubborn pride and independence is sin against God. The good news is that God offers confessed sinners not only forgiveness but also spiritual strength to be the kind of persons He made them to be. 22
SECOND
LOOK
ROBB OEBENPORT
Courage is the
................................................
strength of a person's character
................................................
displayeed under stress
THE STRENGTH TO PURSUE TOUGHNESS
standards for your life? Is it God? Or yourself? 2. Power. The second thing to flee is the desire for POWER. The self-centered man uses every argument and every opportunity to seek control over others. Paul described the " useless wranglings of me n of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain" (v. 5). This man wi ll even use religion to get his own way, and he will attempt to profit by it. Our natural pride loves to manipulate people for our own benefit. 3. Possessions. Paul's warning to "flee these things" concludes in verses 9 and lO with these words, "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hannful lusts. .. . For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." A real man isn't after only POSSESSIONS. Dollar signs aren 't the only road markers for his life. It's not that God is against money, because He is the true source of all our wealth. But God wams that the heart beating only for money will be led into all kinds of hannfultraps. Okay, enough of the negatives. It's time for the positives. What is a man of God? It's not just what a man flees but what he follows as a life course that determines his destiny. PURSUE CHARACTm Paul moves forward and tell s Timothy, " . pursue ri ghteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness" ( I Timothy 6: II ). These are qualities of life worth following and can be summarized as CHARACTER . Character is more than our vocabulary; it is our entire sys tem of beliefs and behaviors. It 's like a spring of water in the inner person that flows through the tributaries of the mind, heart, will, and body, out into the fields of daily living. The first thing to pursue is righteousness. This means a right relationship with God. God's program for a real man is founded on a right relationship with Him. This isn't accomplished by following some kind of reli g ious workout such as attending church services or saying prayers before a game. These are good activities, but a personal relationship with God is possible only on God's terms. Becoming a man of God beg ins with trusting in God's provision for making things right between us and Him (see below).
You can be born into God's family by believing on His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. When He died, He died for all your sins. By rising from the dead He proved that He could give eternal life to all who would acknowledge their sin and believe on Him (Acts 13 :36-39). The g ift is yours in response to your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you accept Him now, why not thank Him for what He's done for you. Then look for a way to tell someone else of your faith. If you let us know, we will send some free infonnation to help you grow in your new life. Please write to: Second Look, Box 3566, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-3566. •
The other character qualities flow out of thi s rig ht relationship with God. Godliness is our response to God in a lifestyle that is pleasing to Him. Faith is our total trust in God and our confidence that He will keep His word. Love is the ex pression of our will that flows through our heart, genuinely caring and sharing with others. Patience is the resource of control, governing our impulses with a desire to honor God. The final quality of character is gentleness. This certainly doesn't mean weakness. Instead it takes all the strength God gives us to handle with care the opportunities we're given to demonstrate His love and forgiveness. So often man wants revenge, to get even. But God wants us to release our energy in caring and building others up, not tearing them down. I don't have the ability to produce these qualities in myself, but faith in Jesus Christ gives me the power of the Holy Spirit working in me to make it happen. What a tremendous program for manhood God offers! PURSUE COURAGE The second positive thing to pursue is found in verses 12 to 14. Paul challenges Timo thy to " Fight the good fi ght of faith . .. . " This is COURAGE: character displayed in times of crisis. I don 't think of Timothy as being the bodybuilder type, and he probably needed the reminder that he was equipped by God to be courageous. Ultimately our courage is based on our concept of God. If God is truly the sovereign ruler of the universe, the provider of my salvation and eternal destiny in Christ, then what do I ever have to fear? Surely nothing in this life or in the life to come. " If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). PURSUE COMPASSION Another thing for the man of God to pursue is COMPASSION. Think about those NFL ads for the United Way or Ronald McDonald House. Have you noticed how good it is to see that big man in a caring situation? "Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share" (I Timothy 5:18). Remember, good works must be built on the foundation of a personal relationship with God. Otherwise, it's like the 97-pound weakling try ing to lift 500 pounds. In our own strength, by our own will, we will only collapse trying to do good works.
DON'T QUIT Paul gives a final warning to Timothy when he tells him, "0, Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust" ( l Timothy 6:20). Don't quit, Timothy. Don't give up, but guard and use effectively the gifts and opportunities God has given you. I gave up on the Charles Atlas program, and it wasn't until I was in high school that I wanted a strong body badly enough to do something about it. If you really want to be a "man of God," you must desire it. You have to want it. God offers you the g reatest life building program you will ever experience, for today and all your future. Why not begin now? •
BIBLE STUDY
ASECOND LOOK AT TOUGHNESS Toughness can be defined as a "consistency of desire manifest in a specific direction." We see this character quality being built into Timothy's life as he takes on his responsibilities at the church in Ephesus. Let's examine the "toughening of Timothy." 1. Read the following verses: 1 Timothy 4: 12; 2 Timothy 1:7 ,8; and 2 Timothy 1: 12. Judging from Paul's instructions, do you think Timothy was naturally inclined to be "tough"? 2. Read the following verses: 1 Timothy 1:3 ,4; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 1 Timothy 6:20,21; 2 Timothy 3: 13; and 2 Timothy 4:3,4. What was the main problem facing Timothy that required him to be tough?
8. How did Paul encourage Timothy in each of the following passages? • 1 Timothy 1:3 • 2 Timothy 1:13 • 2 Timothy 2: 1 • 2 Timothy 2:15 • 2 Timothy 3:14-17 • 2 Timothy 4:14-16
4. Read the following verses. In each case, how is speaking related to the toughness Paul expected of Timothy? • 1 Timothy 4:6,7 •1 Timothy4:11,12 • I Timothy 5:7 • 2 Timothy 2:2,14,16 • 2 Timothy 2:23-26 • 2 Timothy 4:2 Do you think Timothy applied the principle from Proverbs 15:1 ,2 in his speaking?
5. Read 2 Timothy 1:6-8 and 2 Timothy 2 :1 again. Do you think Timothy might have wanted to quit rather than get toug h?
B. Read Revelation 2:1-3. Judging by this look back at the outcome of the situation in Ephesus, did Timothy quit or get tough? (Remember what kind of challenges he was facing in Ephesus.) 7. What was the key to Timothy's toug hness as revealed by the principle found in Psalm 18:17, 18. (Keep in mind 2 Timothy 1:7.)
8. From what you've discovered, can you be toug h-minded without being hard-hearted? What's the difference?
-Ralph K. Drollinger SECOND
LO O K
23
HOW DO YOU MEASURE TOUGHNESS? Competition makes us reach deep inside for that extra ounce of effort, to give it all we have. But is athletic accomplishment the only measure of toughness? How about the years of di scipline and training it took to get there? Second Look Magazine addresses a variety of life 's difficult questions- like toughness- with a fresh approach.
TAKE ASECOND LOOK AT THE REAL ISSUES IN SPORTS ... AND LIFE.
The real issues in sports ... and life
Second Look Box 3566 Grand Rapids, MI 49501-9963
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage
PAID Permlt82
• Don't miss a single issue. To subscribe, simply return the card inside, or call toll free: 1·800-283-8333